


Pierce My Heart as it Yearns for Your Love

by orphan_account



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Cheating, M/M, alpha!roy, omega!edward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-15 06:49:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14785544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Edward had never expected to present as an omega at this late an age, nor fall in love with none other than Roy Mustang. When both of these things happen, Edward feels content with his life for the first time in a while. But when twists and turns block his path once more, will Ed finally break under the pressure?SPOILER ALERT: Also Maes doesn't die in this fic because I'm still in denial after all these years.





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1.**

 

Edward sat in the brightest room of his house, deeply engrossed in an old alchemical textbook of his, a tiny traitorous part of him wishing that he still had his alchemy. He shook his head, putting the book down and mentally punching himself. He should have known better than to get lost in old memories; all it did was dredge up regret. Al had his body back, and Ed had his arm; that was enough happiness to last him a lifetime. Still, Ed admitted, it _would_ make his work a hell of a lot easier.

Despite the loss of his alchemy, Edward had ultimately decided to remain in the military. Things hadn’t worked out with Winry, her having fallen in love with Al and all. It took her confession for Ed to realize that he didn’t really like Winry that way either; the happiness bubbling in his heart for his brother and friend was more than enough proof of that. And besides, the soon-to-be General bastard needed someone to keep his ego in check once in a while, lest it bubble over and explode. So, he had joined Mustang’s team, albeit reluctantly, as he obviously couldn’t keep being a State Alchemist. However, he was allowed to keep his rank as a major, and Mustang definitely kept Ed busy, the overworking son of a bitch.

Edward stood up to put the book back in the bookcase, when the room began to spin under his feet. He touched his hand to his forehead, alarmed to find the skin boiling hot and drenched with sweat. _Dammit. What is it_ now _?_ Ed managed to clumsily stumble upstairs to his bedroom, collapsing onto the bed. The room was uncomfortably hot and seemingly closing in on him, and Ed had to repress a whimper. _Wait. A_ whimper _?_ Suddenly, Edward was afraid that he knew all too well what was wrong. His suspicions were confirmed when he felt the tell-tale slick rush down his legs. _Fuck._ Ed had always assumed he was a beta since he had never presented as anything even after he turned 15. It was almost unheard of to present as an omega this late. _Truth must_ really _hate me._ Edward had decided to grit his teeth and bear it, no matter how hard it was, but to his horror, three crisp knocks suddenly echoed through the house. _Oh, fuck you too, Truth._

His heart sunk even lower as he recognized Mustang’s annoying voice yelling, “Hey, Fullmetal, open up! Where’s the report on Xing you were supposed to give me, oh, I don’t know, _last week_?” Oh. That’s right. Ed had forgotten about that. _You know what, Truth? That one’s on me._ Ed tried desperately to yell back and tell him to fuck off, but to his dismay, the only sounds he could make were pitiful mewls. Five minutes into his life as an omega, and Ed already hated it.

“Fullmetal?” Mustang called again, voice slightly more concerned. “I _know_ you never leave the house, so open up!” Edward tried once more to respond but to no avail.

“Elric, I’m letting myself in!” the Colonel called finally, and Ed heard the door to his house open. _No! Dammit! Haven’t you heard of boundaries or privacy, you bastard?_ The dread in his stomach grew larger and larger as Mustang’s footsteps grew closer. Eventually, the moment of doom and Edward Elric’s death by embarrassment grew near and the door to his bedroom creaked open.

“Fullmetal, why didn’t you answer—” Roy’s breath caught in his throat, and Ed watched his pupils dilate and his posture tense up. Mustang quickly covered his nose with one of his hands, staring at Edward. _Double fuck. Mustang’s a fucking alpha._ For a small moment, Edward’s mind went crazy, remembering all the horror stories about omegas he had heard throughout the years, and he panicked.

“Mustang… I swear to…god, don’t come any…closer, if you even l-lay a _finger_ on me…I’ll fucking…bite it off!” The bite of his rant was a bit spoiled by the breathiness of his voice, but Roy got the idea and frowned.

“Relax, Fullmetal, I’m not going to hurt you,” Mustang soothed, and Edward was slightly disgusted at the way his body calmed down in response to that bastard’s voice. “Why didn’t you tell me you were an omega?”

“I didn’t know… until… today,” Ed admitted, making a huge effort to get his tongue to work properly.

“You mean that you didn’t present until today?” Mustang asked, raising an eyebrow. “That’s unheard of.” Ed simply nodded in response. All he wanted was for some relief, for an alpha to comfort him, for Roy to help him. His stomach churned at the idea of cuddling with the Colonel, but he had been in worse situations before.

“M-Mustang…please help…” Ed got out, looking up pleadingly at the Colonel. “I f-feel like shit.” Without a word, Mustang laid down on the bed behind Ed, wrapping his arms around him protectively. The part of his brain that could still think clearly acknowledged this must be hard for Mustang. To be this close to an omega in heat and remain restrained was no small feat. That, however, failed to give Ed much sympathy for the man. _Congrats, bastard. You kept it in your pants. Have a decent human being award._ He did feel a bit of gratitude as the Colonel reached up and began to massage Ed’s scalp and scent glands, making Edward literally melt into his touch. Say what you want about Roy Mustang, but the man gave a _fabulous_ massage. Though his traitorous body still longed for an alpha… _there_ , Ed’s nerves began to settle down and he felt his body cool down. Once he could think clearly again, he gently pushed Mustang away, who took the hint and stood back up awkwardly.

“Thanks, I guess,” Ed muttered after a bit of uncomfortable silence. “Could you maybe keep this secret? With me being in the military and all…”

“Of course, Fullmetal,” Roy smirked. “But your report is still way past overdue, so turn it in as soon as possible.” All traces of the brief awkwardness was gone, and Mustang briskly walked out of the room, poised and confident as always. _Bastard_.

 

It was a few months later, around the time Edward predicted would be his next heat. His dynamic had proven to be a bitch to get used to. Seriously, the number of alphas in the military was insane. He’d be damned if he rolled over and submitted to any of them though. It didn’t matter that he was an omega, he was still Edward fucking Elric. Things with Mustang hadn’t changed much since the incident; the bastard was still cocky and self-confident as ever. The only differences were the small smirks Roy would cast his way, as if reminding Edward of the extra leverage now in the Colonel, no, sorry, _General_ ’s grasp. No matter how annoying he was, Mustang did keep his promise; Ed’s identity as an omega was still a secret shared only by six people: Ed, Roy, Winry, Al, Pinako, and Hughes. The now Colonel Hughes had always had an annoying habit of bursting into Edward’s home uninvited and had seen the scent blockers and emergency heat suppressants lying out on the table.

Speaking of heat suppressants…The prescription, obtained secretly from Doctor Knox “for a friend”, only allowed Edward to delay his heat from once a month to once every two months. Edward’s fourteen-year-old self might have decided to take them for as long as he could anyway, but those four years had managed to drill some sense into him. Besides, Mustang would probably get on his case about it if Ed had tried. So, Edward knew that he had no other choices but to suffer through this heat or find an alpha to help him through it. With an alpha’s touch on the scent glands, the heat would only last two days rather than a week, so that was obviously the more favorable option. But who would he ask? He couldn’t ask a stranger; his dynamic was secret and he didn’t want to run the risk of getting assaulted. Though Ed was skilled in combat, he doubted he could take anyone in that state. Of the five people who knew Edward’s dynamic, three were alphas: Pinako, Mustang, and Hughes. Pinako was out for obvious reasons, and Hughes had a wife. Ed didn’t want to make Gracia or Maes uncomfortable. That left Mustang. Ed figured that his pride had already been trampled on, and it would hurt less to ask the bastard for help compared to suffering through his heat alone.

Edward stepped into work, the room already bustling with activity. “Hey, Hawkeye, is Mustang in?”

“Yes, he’s in his office.”

“Thanks.” Ed opened the door to Mustang’s office, closing it behind him. “Hey, General! I have a favor to ask.”

“Oh? And what is this favor of yours?”

“W-well, my, uh, heat’s coming up soon, and you were the only choice I could think of, so, uh, could you help me again like last time?” Ed was mentally beating himself up. Why did he stutter so much? It wasn’t as if he were asking Mustang out or anything. Edward looked up from the floor to see Roy deeply serious.

“I don’t usually help omegas through heat unless I’m romantically involved with them, Fullmetal. Last time was an exception because it was your first heat and you probably would have passed out otherwise.”

“O-oh. Okay,” Ed responded, a weird disappointment sinking deep into his chest. Despite his doubts, he hadn’t expected the bastard to full out reject him like that. “Well, then, I’ll see you later—”

“Jesus, Edward, can you be any denser? I never said that I didn’t want to help you through your heat.”

“What the hell are you saying?”

Roy sighed deeply. “I’m saying, do you want to be romantically involved with me?” Edward blinked once, then twice. “If you don’t want to, then I won’t hold anything against you, I was just wondering—”

“Yes.”

“Pardon?”

“Yes, I’ll go out with you, dumbass!” Now, it was Roy’s turn to look surprised, and Ed had to admit that shocked was a good look on him. All good things must come to an end, however, and Roy’s signature smirk settled once again on his face. “Come to my house on Saturday. And don’t you dare be late, Mustang!”

“Please, Ed, call me Roy.”

 

After Edward had officially begun dating Roy, things had progressed quickly. After all, they had known each other for six years; there were hardly any secrets between them. They had eventually arrived at a point where they wanted to make their relationship known. Not between an alpha and an omega, of course, but as an alpha and beta. After all, Edward had already consented to be claimed by Roy, and the two were now mates. The bite was yet another thing Edward had to hide and he had quickly become adept at applying powder to his neck. Ed, however, was fine with that. As much as the bastard could be annoying, and Ed was reluctant to submit to him in any way despite his dynamic, Ed had to admit that being mated to the General was kind of...nice. Besides, mating was a two-way road, and Mustang could be sure that Ed would hold him to his part of the deal.

“Are you ready for this, Ed?” Roy smirked.

“As I’ll ever be.” Edward felt weirdly nervous as he opened the door to the office, and the feeling only grew as the whole room stopped to a standstill as the members of the team turned to face the boss and the chief.

“I have a bit of an announcement to make,” Roy began, clearing his throat. “Ed and I are…somewhat of a couple.”

Time seemed to freeze, then the whole room erupted into cheers.

“What did I say? I totally called it,” Breda was saying to Falman, and Fuery’s grin was so wide, it looked like it might actually split his face in half.

“Aww, even the chief’s in a relationship and not me!” Havoc groaned, though his eyes were shining with happiness.

“And here I thought you would never find anyone as much of a workaholic as you, General,” Riza smiled.

Staring around at the room full of the smiling faces of his friends, his mate beside him, Edward couldn’t imagine anywhere else he’d rather be. How was he to know that it would all go downhill from here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about that cliffhanger! This is actually my first time writing omegaverse, and I know it can be hit or miss, so I hope it wasn't too cringy? Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

 

It had started when Mustang resumed sending Ed out on frequent missions. For a while, the two had relished their time together as much as possible, Edward even deciding to move in with Roy. Since Al was living in Resembool with Winry, the little house had felt weirdly empty without the clanking of armor or a gentle, high pitched voice around. Moving in with the General bastard meant that Ed was privy to even more of his sarcastic remarks and comments, but also to more sweet moments, like when Roy had gotten Ed a veritable mountain of dark chocolate. Edward had been kind of touched that he remembered about Edward’s hate for milk of any kind, and the extra caffeine boosts were definitely appreciated. All in all, Ed didn’t regret moving into the General’s annoyingly oversized house one bit.

After a few weeks of what was as close to domestic bliss as the prickly pair were going to get, Roy had called Edward into his office.

“Hey, Roy. What do you need?”

“I’m afraid that some people might believe that our relationship is prohibiting me from assigning you any work, Ed. And as much as I hate to say it, they’re kind of right.”

“Hey, that’s not—” Ed paused. He hadn’t gone on a mission for a long time, and any kind of field work was taken care of by the other team members. _Wouldn’t want to disrupt your honeymoon with the General, Edward!_ Normally, Ed would have felt restless with no action, but he was so distracted by his thing with Roy that work had slipped his mind. That was incredibly disconcerting, to say the least; Edward was a well-renowned workaholic. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right. So, what are we going to do about it?”

“Well, I suppose the only thing we _can_ do is to resume sending you out on missions like before,” Roy sighed. “I would love to keep all of your time to myself…” Edward blushed despite himself, causing Roy to put on one of his infuriating “I’m Sexy and I Know It” smirks.

“Can’t be helped right? Guess I’ll just have to finish the missions as fast as possible so I can get in and get out.”

“I’m counting on you, Ed.”

 

So, Edward had resumed his incredibly busy work schedule, claiming that the respite had made him restless, and eventually became as engrossed in his work as he was before. He hardly had any free time to spend with Roy now, but the two more than made up for it with the time they _did_ have together. Roy would prepare amazing, romantic dinners with a shit ton of candles lying about, and Ed would do his best not to call him ‘bastard’, or ‘dumbass’, or anything like that. Edward’s favorite part was the long conversations they’d have over dinner, each telling the other the wild, funny, or exciting things that had happened while they were apart. Although it wasn’t perfect, Ed thought that it was a pretty good arrangement.

One day, after he had settled a small disturbance in the Eastern City, Edward stepped off the train station in Central, eager to get home and see Roy again. The bastard had really grown on him, and Ed was starting to find his smirks or sarcastic comments sort of endearing. He arrived at he and Roy’s mansion of a house, letting himself in. This time though, the candles or even dinner was nowhere to be seen. The lights were off and Roy wasn’t there to greet him at the door either. A worried feeling grew in the pit of his stomach as he cautiously made his way upstairs. _I know Roy knew today was the day I came home…Where could the bastard be?_ Edward opened the door to their bedroom, the door creaking open slowly. To his surprise, Roy was sitting at the desk situated in the room, engrossed in his work. He must have gotten sidetracked. Well, Ed could certainly understand that. How many times had Al been upset with him because Ed wouldn’t stop working? They could have their talks in bed instead of over dinner. He wasn’t that hungry anyway.

“Hey, Roy! I’m back!” At this, Roy glanced at Ed in the doorway, then turned back to his paperwork.

“Hi, Edward. Glad to see you home,” he said simply, never lifting his pen from the paper. Ed frowned. What was his deal today? Edward wasn’t usually the one to express his affections first, but he walked up behind Roy, putting his arms around the General’s shoulders.

“What’s so important that you can’t give your mate a hug, huh?” Ed asked playfully, feeling a little self-conscious. However, Roy didn’t relax and get up like Edward thought he would.

“It’s just paperwork, but Riza told me to get this done by tomorrow. You can go ahead to bed first if you want. I can move to the study.”

“O-okay,” Edward replied, still confused. “Is something wrong, Roy?”

“No, it’s just that work’s been a little stressful lately. Good night, Fullmetal,” Roy replied, grabbing his work and heading towards the study. Fullmetal? Roy hadn’t called Edward that in ages. Ed watched him leave, wondering just how stressful work had been for the General to act like this. He crawled into bed, not even bothering to change out of his current clothes. Roy’s mood would probably clear up in the morning after his paperwork was done, and he and Ed could catch up then.

“Good night, Roy,” he whispered. But no one answered.

 

Roy’s mood never lifted. His sentences were always bare minimum, and he only ever showed affection towards Ed in front of the team. Forget romantic candlelight dinners, now it was a miracle if they even said a word throughout dinner together. Ed had tried of course, but Roy had just ended the conversations again and again. Honestly, it was starting to piss Ed off. To his knowledge, he hadn’t done anything to upset Roy. Ed had asked Riza if something was wrong with the General, but she had just looked confused and said that he hadn’t changed at all. Unable to take the weird mood at home anymore, Edward walked into Roy’s office, determined to find out what was wrong.

“What’s your fucking deal, Roy? You haven’t started a conversation with me once the whole time that I was home, and you don’t even hug me anymore, you bastard. Are you mad at me or something?”

“I don’t know what you mean. Has it ever occurred to you that I might just be tired, Fullmetal?”

“What’s with you calling me Fullmetal so much lately? You always used to call me Ed!”

“It’s just a name! You don’t seem to have any problems calling me a bastard. It’s bastard this, bastard that. And besides, acting familiar with a subordinate in the workplace, especially when you’re in a _relationship_ with that subordinate, is just more fuel for rumors!”

“Is that what you’re so concerned about? Rumors? Okay, fine! I know your career is important to you. But why are you still acting so fucking cold even at home?”

“Like I said, I’m _tired_ , Fullmet…Edward.” Roy rubbed his face, looking ‘tired’ for the first time despite his previous argument.

“You know what, bastard? I can’t deal with this right now. Give me a mission, and then I’ll be out of your face for a while.”

“Fine. There’s another disturbance near the Briggs wall. Go meet with your automail mechanic or whatever, and then head up there.” Edward stalked out of the office, ignoring the other team members’ confused stares. Roy could explain what happened to them. _Bastard_ , he thought, and this time, he meant it.

 

After a few weeks spent in the freezing temperatures of Briggs, Ed’s infamous temper had cooled down a little, and as much as it hurt to admit, he missed Mustang. Even when the bastard was so cold to Ed, Edward couldn’t help but want to be with him. Seriously, what was wrong with him nowadays? Mustang had made Edward completely insane, the bastard.

Ed sighed. Maybe he could apologize to Roy? After all, Ed had burst into his office and started to yell in front of all of his subordinates…he cringed at the memory. Roy must have had reasons for acting so cold; he could have actually been tired. Well, then, Edward would just have to help Roy feel energized again. Maybe he could try to make dinner for once. They could even have a few glasses of that scotch Roy liked to drink! Ed turned around, now heading towards the bar to grab a couple of glasses. Roy’s favorite drink was not sold at the local liquor store, but the bar did carry it especially for the General.

Edward entered the bar, warm light meeting him as he stepped inside. To his surprise, a familiar head of black hair was sitting in one of the booths, a glass of the scotch already in hand. Ed was about to call out to the man when he noticed an omega woman sitting across from him. _Military business?_ Ed discreetly sat down in a seat at the bar nearby, pulling his hood over his head. He didn’t look _too_ out of place, as despite the bar being a pretty respectable location, there were the occasional few customers who had more than a few secrets to keep. Edward felt pathetic, spying on Roy from afar when he could easily walk up to him and say hello. Ed was about to do just that when he noticed one of Roy’s hands resting on the woman’s. What the hell was happening?

Suddenly, Ed felt rooted to his seat, unable to move. Unable to look away from Roy. Roy, murmuring sweet nothings that were supposed to belong to Ed, into this other woman’s ear. Roy, glancing admiringly at another omega’s scent glands, as she teasingly bared her neck. Roy, who had grown so cold to Edward over the past few weeks, acting so warm to someone who was not Ed.

It all made sense now. He had been so cold to Edward because his warmth had been reserved for another. The romantic gestures had been ripped from Edward’s grasps and gently gifted to _her_. He had been normal to the team because the only person Roy had cast aside was Edward.

His body betrayed him, tears prickling at his eyes, but Edward held them back with all of his strength. He didn’t cry at his mother’s funeral, and he would be damned if he was going to cry over Roy fucking Mustang.

Even as defiant thoughts filled his brain, even as Ed tried his hardest to feel angry at Roy, angry for ruining what they had, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. _Why? Why? Why? Why the hell don’t I feel angry, or betrayed?_ He knew he had every reason to be angry, and if it were anyone else who had done this to him, Ed wouldn’t hesitate to confront them and probably beat them up. So why couldn’t he walk up to Roy? His heart twinged at the idea of seeing Roy’s smiling, loving face turn to cold indifference as he saw Ed. He didn’t want to take that smile away, even if it was meant for someone else. Then, it hit Edward like a wall of bricks, bringing time to a standstill and making his heart stop beating for a split, agonizingly long second. _I love him_. Ed desperately tried to leave again, the tears threatening to fall for real this time, but his body wouldn’t move. His traitorous eyes remained fixed on Roy’s lips, eyes, smile. How long had it been since he had smiled like that for Ed? A sickening thought entered Edward’s mind and refused to leave. _Did you ever love me the way I love you? Were you ever truly mine? Or did you love_ her _from the beginning?_

No matter your capacity for love, there was only so much to spare for another person in your heart. After all, finding a mate was giving up part of yourself for them, and letting them take up residence in your heart, in health, or in sickness, till death do you two part. Edward wasn’t stupid. Roy obviously only had room for one person in his heart. And it wasn’t Ed.

He shifted his focus to the unnamed woman sitting in front of Roy. Ed could painfully see every detail that had drawn his mate to this woman. Her long, brown hair, her sparkling eyes, her feminine behaviors. She was a picture-perfect omega, while Ed had been hiding his dynamic. She was soft and gentle, while Ed was sharp and metal. She showed her affections and feelings openly, while Edward kept them close to his heart. She called Roy ‘honey’ and ‘sweetheart’, while Ed called him ‘bastard’ and ‘dumbass’. She was soft silk, and Edward was gold, blazing hot fire. And Roy had more than enough of fire.

Edward had been a fool to think that the famous womanizer, Roy Mustang, could truly settle for Ed. After all, who in their right mind would choose Ed, who was foul-mouthed and vulgar, stubborn and arrogant in all the wrong ways, unable to be a proper omega for his mate, gone for such long periods at a time, and so, so, incredibly, stupid? Roy deserved someone like her, Ed decided, not him.

He waited until the happy pair had exited the building, arm in arm, until he too, stepped out into the cold alone. Ed shivered, sweat dripping down his forehead. Wait. Sweat? All too quickly, Edward realized what was going on. It had been exactly two months since his last heat, and now he was twenty minutes from home, alone in the cold, with any number of alphas around who could attack him. Honestly, Ed didn’t care anymore. His victory for Amestris meant nothing in the face of his complete and utter incapability to be loved. Al and Winry had found happiness together, and it was better for Ed not to interfere with his sadness. Still, Edward made a weak effort to get to safety but was only able to make it into the nearest alleyway before his legs failed him and he collapsed to the floor. The world slowly went dark around him, his eyes closing involuntarily. _Roy. Roy. Roy…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought of this (very angsty) chapter! Feedback is greatly appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will be from Roy's point of view.

**Chapter 3.**

A few weeks ago, Hawkeye had stridden into Roy’s office, face slightly more hesitant than usual, though to anyone else, she would have looked as deathly serious as always. Roy, however, knew that Riza only ever used that expression whenever she brought news she knew that Roy wouldn’t like.

“General Mustang, sir!” Riza said by way of greeting.

“At ease, Lieutenant Colonel. What news do you have for me this time?”

Riza grimaced. “It seems that you have somewhat of a mission waiting for you.”

“Well, then, why aren’t we outside briefing the team as well?”

“It’s a highly classified mission, General, and only involves you. As you well know, the crime syndicate known as Sylver had been causing trouble in both the Eastern City and areas near Briggs for a while. Edward managed to put quite sizeable dents in their ranks through his missions over the past few months, and only a small concentration of them remain,” Hawkeye explained.

“That sounds like a pretty standard mission, Hawkeye. Why the need for secrecy?”

“The small concentration left includes their leader, a woman we have confirmed to be someone by the name of Lyra Filers. The only possible weakness our spies have been able to dig up is an incident that happened about a year ago. It seems she had tried to start up a similar organization in Xing, but she had confided too much into her lover, who turned out to be one of Emperor Ling Yao’s spies.”

“So, you want me to pretend to assume a relationship with this woman?” Roy asked. “If she’s already been betrayed before, she’s not likely to trust anyone again.”

“On the contrary, sir. Most of what we have learned about the group has been from her numerous other male companions she has picked up. It seems that she inherited the syndicate from her father, and is only keeping it active out of pure spite towards him. In other words, she is not willing to give up her private activities for the benefit of the syndicate.”

The plan made sense, but one extremely large (or should he say short?) elephant in the room was waiting to be addressed. Clearing his throat, Roy asked, “What about Ed?”

Riza grimaced again. Roy would say that she looked almost sympathetic. “I’m afraid that Filers is extremely paranoid about her relationships. She has sent spies after her lovers in the past and will likely do the same to you. I hate to say it, General, but if Fullmetal is alerted about this plan, he will most likely become a dangerous liability. You cannot break up with him either—she had apparently been left by her fiancée the day before their marriage, and is quite sensitive about the topic, even if the man is doing it for her.”

The silence hung thick in the air as Roy weighed his options. None of them were particularly good; all of them would involve Edward being slighted in one way or the other.

“Why can’t someone else do it?” Roy asked finally, making a last-ditch attempt at abandoning the mission.

“No one is quite as skilled at undercover operations of this sort as you General, and we can’t afford to lose this battle. Sylver has been a thorn in the military’s side for ages, and the more desperate they get, the more dangerous they’ll become.”

Roy ran a hand through his hair as he realized that he had no other choice. “Fine. Give me the folder and leave. I’ll have to explain things to Ed after the mission is over.”

“Understood, General,” Riza said, snapping to attention once more before leaving the room. Roy turned his chair to face the window, already dreading what he was about to do to Ed. If he couldn’t pretend to leave Edward and continuing their relationship in secret was out of the question, then he would have no choice but to pretend that Roy had fallen out of love with Ed. Edward would understand, wouldn’t he? Either way, it wouldn’t matter. Roy had to take this mission. After all, he _had_ done worse things to serve his country before.

 

“So, tell me,” Lyra said, eyeing Roy who had slid into the booth next to her. “What’s your name?”

“Roy. Roy…Clydesdale,” he replied. It was unlikely that Filers, who had lived in Xing up until a few months ago had kept up with Amestrian politics while in hiding. However, Roy didn’t want to risk the chance of her finding him out.

“So, _Roy Clydesdale_ ,” Lyra said in a low voice that grated in Roy’s ears. “What kind of woman do you like?”

“I like…” Roy struggled to come up with something. His damn mind kept supplying him with pictures of Edward, and that was decidedly _not_ helpful right now. “Omega women. They’re kind of cute, you know?” He remembered that Lyra had been an omega from the briefing. She had used her seemingly beta-like appearance as a weapon several times, though Roy had become well accustomed to unusual omegas.

“Oh! I see,” Lyra giggled, slipping into the role of airheaded omega easily. “Well, a big handsome alpha like you would probably already have an omega girlfriend, right?”

“Boyfriend, actually. But he’s getting kind of annoying, and I don’t really love him anymore. I’ve been trying to ignore him as much as possible. But I’m not planning to leave him, I wouldn’t do that. I just think that if I work hard to keep being mates with him, he should at least let me see pretty little omegas like you once in a while, you know?” The words pouring out of his mouth sickened him, even as he gave a broad, easy smile along with a wink to Lyra.

“Are you flirting with me, Mr. Clydesdale?” Lyra asked, making a blush rise to her cheeks and fluttering her lashes.

“Do you want me to?” Roy returned, leaning in closer to her.

“Yes, I think I do,” she breathed out, and Roy kissed her lips, which were far too chapped. Roy closed his eyes and thought of Ed, Ed and his soft, pink lips.

 

The day Edward returned home, Roy wanted nothing more than to embrace him and tell him how much he missed him. Instead, Roy pretended to be engrossed in his paperwork, when all he could think about was the golden-haired boy who had snuck into his heart and stubbornly taken up residence there. He had done worse things for his country before, that was true. But hearing the confusion in Edward’s voice made Roy feel evil for the first time in a long time. Roy forced himself to answer in clipped sentences to all of Edward’s attempts at conversation when nothing would have made him happier than one of his long conversations with Edward. Roy had expected Ed to snap, or get mad at him, but to his surprise and dismay, Ed wrapped his arms around Roy, trying to get him to respond. _I hate everything about this assignment_ , Roy thought as he longed to wrap Ed up in an embrace. This was proving to be much more difficult than Roy had previously thought, but years of military service hadn’t been for nothing, and Roy had become an incredibly great actor. Though he wished he wasn’t using that skill for this particular situation. Eventually, Roy couldn’t take it anymore and left the room, not turning around. He couldn’t bring himself to see the confusion and disappointment that was surely in Ed’s vibrant eyes. Confusion and disappointment that _he_ had put there. For the first time in his life, Roy ran away.

 

Roy knew that Edward wasn’t the most patient person out there and that eventually, he would snap. That still didn’t prepare him for the raw hurt he had felt as Ed marched into his office and demanded an explanation. _I’m sorry, it’s for a mission_. Roy wanted to say. _I didn’t want to hurt you. I want to be with you._ Instead, he found himself saying, “I’m not sure I know what you mean, Fullmetal. Has it occurred to you that I might just be tired?” Roy winced at the cool, indifferent tone of his voice, cursing his acting abilities once more.

The anger in Edward’s eyes as he yelled at Roy gave him a weird sense of satisfaction, even as every word cut deep into his chest, adding more guilt into Roy’s already overflowing supply. _Yes. Be mad at me. Yell at me, Edward. Yell at me for the things I did to you. For the things I_ will _do to you._ Roy felt himself yelling back, arguing with Edward. _No, what are you doing, you idiot, Roy? Edward is right, and I’m wrong, stop yelling at him, stop yelling at him!_

“Give me a mission, and then I’ll be out of your hair for a while,” Edward said finally, rage still thick in his voice.

“Fine,” Roy replied. _No! It’s not fine!_ “There’s been a series of disturbances in Briggs. Go see your automail mechanic or whatever, then head up there.”

Edward spun on his heel, slamming the door to Roy’s office open and stomping out of the room. He ignored Hawkeye’s look of pity, as well as the confused stares of his other subordinates.

“Get back to work,” Roy finally said quietly, everyone hurriedly snapping back to attention, except for Hawkeye, who persisted in staring at Roy.

“General, are you okay?” Hawkeye asked, with her infamous “tell me what’s wrong or else” stare.

“Dismissed, Lieutenant Colonel,” Roy said quietly in response, turning back to his work.

“But General—”

“ _Dismissed_ , Lieutenant Colonel,” Roy commanded, eyes fixed on his desk, not trusting himself to look up without betraying emotion.

“Understood,” Riza said finally, leaving his office. The door closed behind her with a thud. Roy stared at the door, half expecting Ed to come bursting in at any minute. If Ed had walked through that door right now, Roy would probably have told him everything, mission be damned! But the door remained closed, and Ed remained gone.

 

Roy was sitting at the infernal bar again with Lyra, offering an empty smile as she tittered and exposed her neck. _This is the last date_ , Roy reminded himself. He had gotten enough information from her to find out where she was hiding. After all, how could they date if Roy didn’t even know how to reach her? Military troops were positioned there right now, ready to apprehend Filers as soon as she stepped through the door.

He reluctantly turned his attention back to the date, Lyra telling some most likely made-up story about her childhood dog. Roy smiled and nodded along, folding his hand on top of hers. Lyra’s hair was much too dull, while Ed’s hair was pure gold, and brighter than the sun. She was pretending to be a picture-perfect omega, while Edward was the most perfect omega Roy could ever ask for, even if Ed had to hide his dynamic. She was far too delicate and gentle, while Ed was fiercely defiant, and alluringly strong. She gave her affections away far too easily, while Edward’s gestures of love were far more genuine and meaningful. She called Roy ‘honey’ and ‘sweetheart’, always far too willing to lose and give in to Roy, while Edward jokingly called him ‘bastard’ and ‘dumbass’, standing on equal footing with Roy. She was soft silk, and Edward was gold, blazing hot fire. And Roy had always been fascinated by fire.

The last of the horrible ‘dates’ was finally over, and Roy felt free for the first time in a long time as he waved goodbye to the awful woman who had caused so much grief for him and Edward. Today was the day Edward was coming home from his mission near Briggs, and the day Roy would be able to see his omega again. Roy was anxious to make it up to Edward for the several weeks of pain Roy had caused him, and to explain everything that had happened. He only hoped that Ed would be able to understand and forgive him.

He arrived at his home, only to see that all the lights were out, and no trace of Edward’s return could be seen. Roy felt a small pang of worry but remembered that this was probably to be expected, given the fight they had gotten into the last time they had spoken. Roy swore to make up for that too, once he found Ed. Roy decided that the next logical step was to head to the train station and to ask around there for information on where Edward had gone.

“Excuse me, have you seen a short blond man get off the train recently?” Roy asked, walking up to the ticket-seller, who looked up at him curiously.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, a few hours ago. Seemed to be heading to the bar or something. What’s it to you?”

“Just a friend of mine,” Roy responded, thanking him and heading towards the bar. If Edward had been at the bar, why hadn’t Roy seen him?

Suddenly, Roy understood what had happened as he recalled his date with Lyra at the bar, the realization crashing down upon him and sweeping all previous relief away, replacing them with a simple, eloquent, ‘oh shit’. Ed had seen that horrible woman and Roy together on their date! Roy cursed himself for being so stupid. He should never have taken this goddamn mission sent straight from hell!

Roy began to sprint, weaving through the people walking through the streets, attracting more than one curious glance his way. But Roy didn’t notice, his whole being only focused on finding his mate. He reached the bar, slamming the door open and skidding to a stop inside.

“Sir, I’m afraid we’re closed at the moment—”

“Did a gold-haired man happen to come here tonight?” Roy interrupted urgently. “This is important!”

“I seem to recall a man with a red hood over his head sitting at the bar and watching a couple. I thought he was a bit suspicious but didn’t say anything; folks like to keep their secrets around here. I remember that he did have gold hair—”

Before the man could finish, Roy had already stepped out of the bar, looking around wildly for Edward, even though he knew it wouldn’t help. With a jolt, Roy had remembered the reason he assigned Edward a mission that would be finished by today; today was the first day of Edward’s heat. Roy had plenty of experience with self-loathing, but this information made him absolutely _hate_ himself, imagining helpless Ed lying in the streets, with god knows how many alphas walking along the streets. Roy grabbed at his hair, rage filling his entire being as he imagined someone taking advantage of Edward. He couldn’t let that happen. He wouldn’t let that happen. As paralyzing fear ran through his veins, he sprang back into action, running towards a nearby cab.

“Quick! To Central Command!” Roy yelled as he flung himself into the car and handing the driver a stack of bills. “And make it quick!” As the driver began to speed down the road, Roy felt overwhelming anxiety course through him. If this mission got Ed hurt, or worse… No, Roy refused to think about that. He urged the driver to go faster, not willing to lose any precious time in searching for his mate. _Ed…don't worry. I’ll find you. Ed. Ed. Ed…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Hopefully, that explained why Roy's been acting like such a jerk to Ed. I was planning for this to be the last chapter, but the story got away from me, and it felt better to end it here. Thank you for reading! As always, feedback would be really appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4.**

****

The speeding car skidded to a stop in front of Central Command as Roy wrenched open the car door and ran into the building. He quickly entered his team’s office, everyone looking at Roy bewilderedly as he stood there, far from his normal composed self.

“Ed’s in trouble,” Roy said. “There’s no time to waste!”

“What kind of trouble, General?” Fuery asked, a concerned expression on his face.

“I did something stupid, and now he’s lost. I can’t find him,” Roy explained quickly, itching to run back out of the office and search for Ed immediately.

“If he’s lost, General, I’m sure Edward can find his way back,” Hawkeye said, her steely voice betraying some reassurance and worry.

“You don’t understand! Ed’s in heat,” Roy bit out, watching as the looks of concern shifted to ones of confusion.

“Edward’s a beta, General,” Havoc reminded him.

“Not anymore. He presented a few months ago!” Roy shouted, frustrated. “It doesn’t matter. We need to find him, now.” The previously confused team members immediately sprang into action, the gravity of the situation dawning on them. Hawkeye sent a worried look Roy’s way, but he pretended not to notice, his only focus on finding Ed.

“General, I apologize for putting you into this situation. If I had known—”

“It’s not your fault, Lieutenant Colonel. You didn’t know,” Roy reassured, the anxiety eating away at his already fraying nerves. He needed to find Edward, assure him that he still loved him, that it was all for a mission…He needed to make sure that Edward was safe.

“Edward’s last known location was at the bar. He…he thinks I cheated on him,” Roy explained, casting his gaze downwards to avoid the looks of shock and pity he knew would be on his subordinates’ faces. “We should concentrate our search around there. If anyone finds him, get me immediately.”

Besides Fuery, who had stayed behind to manage the communication system, everyone rushed out of the building, gathering more than a few curious glances as they piled into the cars. Hawkeye was in charge of driving and was currently driving the car at speeds that were in no way legal. After a few near-death experiences, the car jerked to a stop in front of the bar.

“Falman, Breda, you go to the left. Havoc, Hawkeye, look to the right,” Roy ordered, running straight ahead. “He’s probably not far from here!”

This might have been the worst thing Roy had done since Ishval. How could he have been so stupid? Everything Roy loved had been put in danger at least once, if not outright taken from him. That was the nature of his line of work. He had accepted that no one would be by his side forever long ago, or so he thought. But now, not even knowing if Ed was okay, or being attacked, the thought of not being able to find him…it pierced his heart, shattering it into a million pieces.

Just when Roy was about to turn back and search somewhere else, he heard whimpering coming from the alleyway. _Ed_. Not even stopping to alert the others, he immediately took a sharp turn, almost collapsing in relief as he saw Ed, his love, his mate, huddled in the alley.

“Ed!” Roy called, causing the blond to jerk his head up suddenly, looking as if he saw a ghost.

“R-Roy?” Edward rasped, face flushed and hair matted. He immediately attempted to wipe away the tear tracks that had made their way onto his face. Roy fell to his side, his hand resting on Edward’s face.

“Edward…I’m so sorry. What you saw at the bar—it was nothing. I never felt anything for her, let alone cared for her as much as I care for you. It was all for a mission. A stupid mission that I should never have taken. I’m sorry for everything, Ed. And I understand if you don’t want to be my mate anymore; how could you after all I’ve done—”

“Shut up, you asshole,” Edward mumbled, pressing his lips to Roy’s. Roy’s eyes widened in surprise, but Ed cut off anything he was about to say. “I don’t know if I can forgive you right away, and it might take a while, but I know that I at least want to try.”

Roy understood, he had damaged their relationship by being so distant to Ed those past few months. It didn’t matter that it was for a mission; Ed didn’t know, and Roy felt another pang as he tried to imagine the pain he had put Ed through. But there was one thing he couldn’t understand.

“How? How can you be so willing to forgive me? You’ve already decided to be with me despite the horrible things I’ve done during the war, and now, after this, you still want to be with me?” Roy asked, looking into Ed’s eyes. “Why?”

“Because,” Ed took a second to compose himself, and Roy suddenly realized that Ed was still in heat, he had to get him to somewhere safe— “…because I love you, bastard.”

Time slowed to a stop, and Roy could see nothing else around him except for those blazingly gold eyes. The fire inside of them, despite Ed’s state. Roy had always been fascinated by fire, but fascination wasn’t enough to describe his feelings for Ed. Staring deep into those pools of molten gold, Roy knew.

“I love you too, Edward.”

 

 

Many Years Later

 

Ed had to admit, it had been far from easy. After the public had found out that Ed was an omega, there had been an uproar. There had also been skepticism as to whether or not Ed should be allowed to remain in the military, but Roy had pointed out that even after Ed had presented, there had been no visible differences in his performance. Ed’s status as the hero who had saved Amestris, as well as the former People’s Alchemist helped immensely, and being mated to General Mustang didn’t hurt either. Eventually, the military higher-ups had relented, and the public opinion shifted, viewing the former Fullmetal Alchemist as a role model for omegas everywhere.

The relationship struggles were definitely a challenge, but with Roy doing everything in his power to gain back Ed’s trust, such as bringing back the weekly dinners, it went a lot smoother than expected. Besides, the bastard’s antics started to get embarrassing, like when he delivered what must have been twenty bouquets of flowers to where Ed was stationed claiming that he had ‘accidentally bought them’, so Edward figured it was a win-win.

So, yes, it had been a struggle to get to where they were, but as Edward walked down the aisle, looking at the bastard smiling dazzlingly at him from the altar, he knew. It had been worth it.

 

-Fin-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks! This chapter was a bit shorter than the others, but it practically wrote itself, and I really like where it ended. I might come back to this universe to write a one-shot or two in the future because I love omega Ed and alpha Roy so much, but I don't think I'll do that for quite some time. All feedback is amazingly appreciated and thank you for reading!


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